Adjustable full circle sprinkler



April 13, 1937; w. VAN E. THOMPSON I 2,076,753

ADJUSTABLE FULL CIRCLE SPRINKLER Filed April 20, 1936 [A/ may 70/? 14/44 715/? Mq/vT 7710MP60/v BYW? I ATTORNE).

Patented Apr. 13, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE FULL CIRCLE SPRINKLER Walter Van E. Thompson, Los Angeles, Calif., as-

signor to Thompson Manufacturing Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application April 20, 1936, Serial No. 75,298

8 Claims. (01. 299-119) My invention relates to irrigation devices and ings which are preferably tangentially disposed, relates particularly to an irrigation sprinkler. and through which the water passes in reaching In the irrigation art it is common practice to a swirl chamber of the invention. It is at these irrigate areas by means of sprinklers or sprinkler Swirling openings where the foreign matter usual heads connected to header pipes, and spaced prely accumulates. In my invention the inlet mem- 5 determined distances apart, each sprinkler being ber is removable so that the cavity thereof is adapted to irrigate a predetermined area. The readily accessible for cleaning, and in this mantype of sprinkler to which my invention relates is ner this object of my invention is accomplished. commonly known as a full circle sprinkler and Other objects and advantages of my invention 1,0 the water passing into the sprinkler is swirled will be pointed out in the course of the following or rotated so that when it passes from the sprindetailed description of the form of my invention kler it is thrown outwardly so as to irrigate a which I have chosen to illustrate the principle circular area. thereof.

In View of the fact that there is a difierence in Referring to the drawing which accompanies 415 water pressure in the header pipes at different the application: 7 positions along the header pipes, it is desirable to Fig. l is a vertical sectional view through a provide the sprinkler with an adjustment means sprinkler embodying the features of my invention. for controlling the amount of water which passes Fi 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 through the sprinkler, and by use of this adjustof Fi ment means it is possible to compensate for the Referring to the drawing in detail, the p 20 difierence in pressure heads at different parts of kler of my invention has a body H, the lower end the header pipes. of which is provided with internal threads [2 It is an object of my invention to provide a wh by i may b se re to a w r s ply Pi sprinkler having an adjustment means whereby which is in turn Connected to a header p p the amount of water flowing through the sprin- (not the header P p forming a p Of 25 kler may be controlled. the irrigation system. Formed in the upper part It is a further object of my invention to pr of the body II is a chamber I5 which I denomivide an adjustable means for performing the t a swirl ham r, this amb r b ine function pointed out in the preceding paragraph formed directly above a lower Wall N5 of the body Which may be adjusted without removing the II which defines the lower limit of the chamber. 30 sprinkler or any parts thereof from place. The side wall of the body I i which cooperates n It is anobject of my invention to provide a forming the chamber [5 is threaded at I! to resprinkler having an adjustable inlet member .CeiVe p ThiS p is has a depending which may be adjusted in position for controlling cylindrical wall l9 which is provided with threads the amount of water passing through the swim as shown and has an upp Wall 29 having n 35 kler. let port or spray port 2| through which water It is commonly known that the water flowing y P from the Swirl Chamber The p through irrigation systems contain foreign bodi8 iS provided With a nut Portion 22 0f polygonal ies, such as snail shells, gravel particles, moss, shape for the application of a wrench for installetc., which enter the sprinkler and clog, or partly ins r m v h n The dy II is p 40 clog, the various passages after a period of time. vided with an outwardly extending flange 24 av- When this occurs the efficiency of the sprinkler g pe 25 for the pp on of a Wrench is impaired and it becomes necessary to clean the whereby the bo y ay be in talled on or removed sprinkler. from the pipe [4. g

It is oneof the objects of my invention to pro- The lower. wall I6 is provided With a threaded vide a sprinkler which may be readily cleaned. Opening and Supported y this low Wall s 'It is another object of my invention to provide an nlet ember 3- The inlet member 28 has a a sprinkler in which the parts where the foreign top W 29 provided With a S ew driver slot 30 matter ordinarily clogs may be entirely removed r a ju p p -S asa cylindricalde from the sprinkler into a position where it may pending wall 32 Whichis externally h ea e So 50 be very easily and conveniently cleaned by the that the inlet member 28 may be screwed into the I i use of a, pick or other cleaning implement, opening 21. The cylindrical Wall or'the side Wall It is another object of my invention to provide 32, ispr vi W w r g means in the form of 'a sprinkler having an inlet member into which tangentially disposed openings or slots 33 which -the water first flows and having swirling openare formed by bending portions 34 of the side 5 5 extending a screw driver through the spray port 2| to engage the screw driver in the slot 30 andupon rotation of the screw driverto advance the inlet member either upward or downward as de sired. When this occurs the tangential openings 33 are either raised or lowered relative to the valve face 36, with the result that the effective isiformed by the top and side walls 29 and 32. V

size of the tangential openings 33 is either increased or decreased depending upon the direction of motion.

'In using the sprinkler of my invention the water or other liquid, as the case may be, flows throughthe pipe M into the lower end of the body I l. The water then enters the downwardly disposed cavity 31 of the inlet member 28 which This water flows upwardly, as indicated by arrows 38, and then flows through the tangential openings 33, as illustrated by arrows 39. It will be seen that in passing through these tangential openings the water is caused to swirl or rotate,

and therefore the water upon entering the swirl chamber I follows a course as indicated by the.

arrows 4Q. After entering this swirl chamber 15 the water passes upwardly and is then forced inwardly and then upwardly through the spray port 2|. When the water passes through the spray port 2| it is released from confinement and centrifugal force throws it outwardly so that this water irrigates a circular area.

i Any foreign matter which passes through the pipe l4 and into the sprinkler, and which is too large to pass entirely through the sprinkler, will tend to clog on the inwardly bent portions 34 and to clog, or partially clog, the tangential openings 33. When this foreign matter has accumulated to such an extent. that it impairs the efiiciency of the sprinkler, the operator will remove the'inlet member 28 forcleaning purposes. This is readily done by first removing the cap I8 and thereafter rotating the inlet member 28 to ad- Vance it upwardly so that it may be freed from the threaded opening 21. When the inlet member has beeni'emoved it will be seen that the cavity 31 in which the foreign matter has accumulated is readily accessible and may therefore be very easily and quickly cleaned. It will be seen that the only part of the sprinkler which requires cleaning is the interior of the inlet member 28, and since this member may be removed to be conveniently. worked with it will be seen that it may be very conveniently cleaned.

An important consideration of the present invention is theinlet member'28 which is designed, first, for controlling the amountof water which may flow through the sprinkler and, second, for an easy cleaning. It is possible to, secure the inlet .member in other ways than by. threading,

and it is further possible to utilize the cleaning feature without utilizing the adjustable feature,

and under such circumstances the inlet member against a shoulder in the could be. installed body IL. I

My invention maybe incorporated in various .physical shapes without departing from the spirit and, scope thereof, and I therefore do'notv wish my invention to be limited'to the details of construction illustrated herein, but wish it to be conand an inlet member supported by said shellz strued in accordance with the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a sprinkler of the class described, the

combination of a shell having side and end walls.

' defining a chamber, and providing an outlet port;

and an inlet member removably supported by said shell through which liquid enters said chamber,

said inlet member having a downwardly opening cavity into which said liquid flows, and liquid swirling means in the form of tangentially disposed openings in theside wall of said inlet member for delivering said liquid from 'said' cavity into said chamber.

3. In asprinkler of the class described, the.

combination of: a shellhaving side and end walls defining a chamber, and providing an outlet port; and an inlet member supportedgin an opening formed in saidshell through which liquid enters said chamber, said inlet memblerhaving a down:

wardly opening cavity into which said liquid flows,-

and liquid swirling means for deliveringfsaid liquid from said cavity into said chamber. 5

4. In a sprinkler of the class described, the combination of a shell having side and end walls defining a chamber, and providing an outlet port; and an inlet member supported in an opening formed in said shell through which: liquid enters said chamber, said inlet member having a downwardly opening cavity into which said liquid flows, and liquid swirling means in the form of tangentially disposed openings in the sidewall of said inlet member for delivering said liquid from said. cavity into said chamber.

5. In a sprinkler of the class described, the

combination of: a shell having side and end walls defining a chamber, and providing-an outletport; and an inlet member supported in an opening formed in said shell through which liquid enters said chamber, said inlet memberfhavinga downfwardly'opening cavity into which saidliquid fiows,

liquid swirling means for delivering said liquid:

from said cavity into said chamber, andsaid inlet member being adjustably supported in said opening so that it may be positioned with said shell covering a part of said swirling means, thus regulating the amount of liquid flowing through said sprinkler. I f

6. In, a sprinkler of the class described, the combination of a shell having side and end walls defining a chamber, and providing an outlet port;

and an inlet member supportedin an opening;v

formed in said shell through which liquid enters said chamber, said inlet member having adown- 'wardly opening cavity into which said liquid flows, liquid swirling means in the formiof tangentially idisposedopenings' in .the side wall of said inlet member for delivering said liquid from said cavity into said chamber, and said inlet member being adjustably supported in said opening so that it amount of liquid flowing through said sprinkler.

may be positioned ,with saidshell, covering a part of said swirling means, thus regulating the! 7. In a'sprinkle'r of the class'described,,, the

combination of: a shell having side and end walls defining a chamber and providing an outlet port;

and an inlet member supported by said shell through which liquid enters said chamber, said inlet member having a downwardly opening cavity into which said liquid flows, and port means for delivering said liquid from said cavity into said chamber, said inlet member being threadedly supported in an opening formed in said shell so that it may be positioned with said shell covering a part of said port means, thus regulating the amount of liquid flowing through said sprinkler. 10

WALTER VAN E. THOMPSON. 

